A Child's Love
by CountryGirl2423
Summary: AU. Hotch finds out he has a daughter when Haley gives up her parental rights over their daughter Sam. Hotch takes in Sam and learns what it's like to be a father. Haley and Hotch where never married in this story and Jack doesn't exsist.


Hotch sat at his desk filling out paperwork when he heard a commotion outside. He left his office and ran to the rail on the catwalk.

He saw Morgan chasing Reid around the bullpen.

"Hotch!" Reid called. "Morgan is trying to kill me!"

"And I will succeed in a second here when I catch your skinny ass!" Morgan growled.

Reid leapt up the stairs to the catwalk and hid behind Hotch. Hotch put his hands on Morgan's chest before Morgan could get to the younger man.

"Morgan, _what_ is going on?" Hotch asked.

Morgan pointed an accusing finger at Reid. "He posted embarrassing pictures of me on Facebook!"

"Well Reid doesn't have that many friends so not a lot of people saw it-" Hotch started and wanted to smack his forehead.

"You don't think I have friends?!" Reid yelled in disbelief.

Morgan busted out laughing.

Hotch turned to Reid. "I didn't mean it like that. It just came out that way."

Reid threw his hands up in the air. "No, I know how you ment it! You think that I am just some genius boy that is a loner and has never had a friend before joining the BAU!"

"Reid that's not what I-!" Hotch started but Reid just stomped to his desk.

Hotch ran his hands over his face while Morgan continued laughing.

"Shut up Morgan!" Reid commanded.

"Make me Mr. I-can't-pass-my-firearms-qualifications!" Morgan taunted.

"Both of you stay away from each other for the rest of the day!" Hotch ordered before entering his office again and sinking into his desk chair.

Just as he sat down, Rossi walked in.

"What Dave?!" Hotch snapped.

"Wow. Sounds like somebody's having a good day!" Rossi muttered sarcastically.

"I swear, you and I are the only adults on this team! Why do I have to play 'father' to the team? Can't they just act their ages?!" Hotch vented. He threw his head back and ran his hands through his short hair.

Rossi cocked an eyebrow. "Aaron. I know you don't mean that."

Hotch sighed. "It's just so frustrating sometimes!"

"I know, but that is just their way over keeping their sanity in a job like this. They go back to a time where there was no evil like this in the world that they knew about," Rossi profiled.

It was Hotch's turn to cock an eyebrow. "You know the rule about inner team profiling."

Rossi rolled his eyes.

Hotch's phone rang, cutting off anything Rossi was about to say.

Hotch hit the 'answer call' button. "Hotchner."

"Is this Aaron Hotchner?" a woman on the other end of the phone asked.

"Yes. Who is this?"

"Whitney Jacobs. I work for Child Protective Services. We have your daughter here."

Hotch almost dropped his phone. "I'm sorry but there must be some mistake. I don't have a daughter."

"Were you ever romantically involved with a woman named Haley Brooks?"

"Yes. We were together during high school and for a while after but broke up four years ago."

"Well Ms. Brooks was two months pregnant when you left according to our records," Whitney told him. "Your daughter, Samantha Hotchner, was born seven months later. Now that Haley has given up her parental rights, we need someone to take care of Sam or she will be placed into foster care."

_Samantha. Sam. I told Haley that if I were to ever have a daughter I wanted her name to be Samantha Ann, and for her nickname to be Sam. _Hotch remembered.

Hotch went pale. "How old is she?"

"Three."

"Why did Haley give up her parental rights?" Hotch asked.

"I don't know sir. She just dropped off your daughter with the papers that waved her rights to Sam."

"I, um... can I call you back?" Hotch stuttered.

"Yes. Absolutely. I highly recommend you take her though because foster care can be terrible for a child."

Hotch hung up and groaned. He thought, _She's trying to guilt me in to it. _

"So what was that about?" Rossi asked.

Hotch forgot he was there. "I-I have a daughter."

"Well good for you Aaron!"

Hotch glared at his friend. "Well Haley gave up her rights to our daughter and if I don't take the girl in, she's going to end up in foster care."

"What are you going to do?"

Hotch let his head fall on his desk. "I don't know Dave. I guess I'll have to take her in because you and I both know what happens to kids in foster care. There is no way I could do that to my own daughter. It's just *sigh* I don't know what I'm going to do when we are away on cases or at work. Who is going to look after her?"

"Will can," Rossi suggested. "I'm sure he won't mind. And I bet Henry would love someone to play with."

"I guess."

"Aaron don't be like that. I know you always wanted a little girl and now you have one. Look on the bright side. You really are a father."

Hotch smiled and sat up again. "Yeah Dave, you're right. I'm going to call that woman back and tell her I'll take Sam."

Rossi gave him a slap on the back. "Good for you buddy. Take a week off to bond with her, okay?"

"Good idea," Hotch said, already dialing the number. He actually had the daughter that he had always wanted.


End file.
